No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has one pledge from Old Town teachers by the end of the week ending March 19.
They’re one of the thousands of US teachers pledging to continue educating students about the controversial Critical Race Theory, which explains racism is embedded in US culture and politics.
Though the concept was first suggested in the late 70’s, it has recently exploded as a contentious issue between the American right and left in the last two years.
Many who signed the pledge are defying state bans on the teachings. Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, New Hampshire, Florida, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee have passed legislation banning discussions about the US being inherently racist.
Other states, such as Montana and Georgia, have denounced the teachings and are discussing a ban on critical race theory teachings.
In an interview with The Washington Free Beacon, Ashley Varner of the Freedom Foundation accused the Zinn Education Project of providing “left-leaning propaganda to teachers.”
| Teachers | Thoughts on Critical Race Theory |
|---|---|
| Todd McKinley | Legislating what can and cannot be taught in the classroom places educators in a challenging situation, engaging them in ever-changing political climate. Once on this "slippery slope" of curriculum control, actions over time erode the power of pedagogical decisions made by teachers to address relevant topics for their students as well as undercut democratic ideals fostering equity for all persons. |
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